The Fortress of Saladin

Less than 30km from the port city of Latakia, fringed by forest and perched on a ridge that looms over deep ravines in the mountains, lies this solitary keep. T.E. Lawrence — of Lawrence of Arabia fame — described encountering it “as the most sensational thing in castle building I’ve ever seen.” Its fortifications were first developed by the Byzantines in the 10th century, but the redoubt would fall into the hands of the Crusaders decades later. Like a number of other fortresses across this stretch of northern Syria, it straddled a strategic position in terrain that was as treacherous as the myriad factions vying over it. Only after campaigning for years and capturing Jerusalem in 1187, did the great Kurdish-Muslim general Saladin set his sights on this castle, which, manned by a demoralized garrison, fell to the triumphant commander in just two days. It still bears his name.